Printing press



12 Sheets-Sheer. l

April 4, 1939. A. KLUGE ET AL PRINTING PRESS 4 Original Filed Dec. 30, 1952 8 M w T E N a ,e N L (a WGWQWMO 6 %4 mw m w m i a [.v 2/ x April 4, 1939.

A. KLUGE ET AL 2,152,698

PRINTING PRESS Original Filed Dec. 30, 1932 12 Sheets-SheetB JNVEVNTORS' Abel Klug and Eneva/ 232g? BYW+ gym A TTORNEYS.

April 1939- A. KLUGE ET AL I 2,152,698

PRINTING PRESS Original Filed Dec. 30, 1932 12 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. Abe] Kluge and Erma/a1 Kig b BY/W4' ATT RNEYS.

April 4, 1939.

Original Filed Dec. 30, 1932 A. KLUGE ET AL PRINTING PRESS 12 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN VEN TORS Abel Kluge and A TTO NEYS.

April 4, 1939.

A. KLUGE ET AL PRINTING PRESS Original Filed DeC. 30, 1952 12 Sheets-Sheet 5 s R S md H m m V mw N T. @m n April 4, 1939. I K GE ET AL 2,152,698

PRINTING PRESS Original Filed Dec. 50, 1932 12 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTORS Abel Kluge and Eneflal King? BYW+ 4- ATT NEYS.

April 4, 1939. I KLUGE ET AL 2,152,698

PRINTING PRESS Fig. '2

INVENTORS Abel [flu "e and Eneval Kuge A TTORNEYS.

April 4, 1939. A. KLUGE ET AL 2,152,698

PRINTING PRESS Original Filed Dec. 30, 1932 12 Sheets-Sheet 8 INVENTORQ Abel Kluge and Eneual Klug'e April 4, 1939. A. KLUGE ET AL 2,152,698

I PRINTING, PRESS Original Filed Dec. 30, 1932 l2 Sheets-Sheet 9 INVENTORS Abe] Kluge and Eur-Val Kluge BY- W A T ORNEYS.

April 4, 1939. A. KLUGE ET AL 2,152,698

PRINTING PRESS Original Filed Dec. 30, 1932 12 Sheets-Sheet 1O INVENTORS Abel K'lzzgi and li'neval Kluge April 4, 1939. A. KLUGE ET AL I 2,152,698

' PRINTING PRESS Original Filed Dec. 30, 1932 12 Sheets-Sheet 11 Fig. 46

Fig. 17

INVENTORS Abel Klug'e and Eneval Klug'e BYM-- 4 ATTO NEYS.

April 4, 1939. A. KLUGE ET AL PRINTING PRESS Original Filed Dec. 30, 1952 12 Sheets-Sheet 12 IN VEN TORS d m m R nmn m M A K4 40 AE Patented Apr. 4, 1939 PATENT OFFICE PRINTING PRESS Abel Kluge and Eneval Kluge, St. Paul, Minn, assignors to Brandtjen & Kluge, Inc., St. Paul,

Minn., a corporation of Minnesota Original application December 30, 1932, Serial No.

Divided and this application July 23,

1937, Serial No. 155,237

14 Claims.

Our invention relates to improvements in printing presses of the bed and platen type, this application being a division of our copending application, Serial Number 649,567, filed December 30, 1932, Patent No. 2,091,322.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved automatic printing press having embodied therein simple, durable and compact inking mechanism capable of highly efficient operation under the various conditions encountered in the use of such presses in job work.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel roller carriage construction which is reciprocated through balanced driving mechanism designed to minimize wear and strains on the parts.

A feature of the invention resides in interposing an ink fountain between the ink plate and the position occupied by a form on the bed, and in oscillating the ink fountain to apply ink to the form rollers only as they pass from the for toward the ink plate.

Another feature of the invention resides in the novel and effective association of the oscillating fountain with the throw-off mechanism of the press so that the fountain will be shifted into and held in inoperative position when the impression is thrown off.

A further object of the invention is to provide, in connection with the roller carriage, a frame for distributing rollers, which frame is swingable to give access to the form rollers at the front of the carriage.

Another object of the invention is to provide for the ready removal of the form rollers from the carriage, and for the ready adjustment of said rollers in the carriage, whereby, in a single guided movement, each form roller may be shifted toward or from the plane of the form and inking plate and, simultaneously, toward or from the periphery of its respective distributing roller.

A feature of the invention resides in swinging the inking plate out of the inking plane to lend access thereto and to the form rollers at the rear of the roller carriage.

A still further object of the invention is to provide for the intermittent oscillation of the inking plate, to present the same in different angular relations with respect to the form, whereby uniformity in the distribution of ink is promoted.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear in the following description, the invention resides in the novel combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figs. 1 and 2 are perspective views illustrating a form of our improved printing press construction; Fig. 3 is an elevational view of the structure shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the view being taken from the left side of the press; Fig. 4 is a rear elevational view of the structure shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3;' Figs. 5 and 6 are vertical central sectional views of said structuretaken in opposite directions; Fig.7 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line l--| of Fig. 5; Fig. 8 is a detail view showing, particularly, the gearing and cam assembly at the right side of the illustrated press structure; Fig. 9 is a vertical, central sectional view taken through the bed of the press and illustrates the construction and. relative arrangement of the roller carriage rails, the oscillating ink fountain, the swingable ink plate, the carriage blocks and form rollers and distributing rider rolls carried thereby; Fig. 10 is a detail view in section taken as on the line I lll.0 of Fig. 9; Fig. 11 is a perspective view illustrating one of the carriage blocks and also showing the construction of the adjustable cup bearings for the form rollers; Fig. 12 is a sectional view in detail, the same being taken as on the line I2l2 of Fig. 9; Fig. 13 is a detail perspective View of oneof the cup bearings for the form rollers; Figs. 14, 15, 16 and 1-7 are diagrammatic views illustrating the action of the mechanisms employed to oscillate the ink fountain and to rotate the fountain roll, and Figs. 18, 19 and are detail views showing the oscillating inking plate, its swingable mounting and the means employed in oscillating said plate, Fig. 18 being a front elevational view, Fig. 19 a sectional view taken on the line I9l9 of Fig. 18, and Fig. 20 a view similar to Fig. 19 showing the parts of the plate oscillating mechanism in positions other than those shown in Fig. 19.

Reference being had to the drawings, wherein similar parts throughout the several views are designated by similar reference characters, it will be noted that the illustrated press structure includes right and left side frames 30, 3| connected by cross stays 32. A crank-shaft 33 journaled in the side frames 30, 3| carries a fly wheel 34 at one end thereof and to this is keyed a pinion 35 (Figs. 1 and 8), which meshes with a gear cam wheel 36 fixed to a shaft 31 journaled in said side frames 30, 3|. Trunnioned in the side frames 30, 3| is a platen rocker 38 carrying a platen 39. Secured to a trunnion 40 (Fig. 8) of said platen rocker 38 is a rocker arm 4| having portions of the side frames 36, 3!.

is a back shaft 49 to the ends of which are connected side arms 56, 5|, the former being connected with a crank wheel 52 on the shaft 31 and the latter with the gear cam wheel 36 also on said shaft 31. Power applied to the crank shaft 33, as through a pulley 53 (Fig. 4) thereon, causes the platen 39 to tip back and forth from open position (Fig. 6) to impression position .35 and 35.

(Fig. 3) and causes a relative movement of the bed 44, bringing a form therein against the Y platen 39 in its impression position and substantially retracting the bed 44 from the platen 3B in blocks 55 support inking rollers 56 which in their reciprocating cycle, contact with a form in the bed 44 and with an inking plate 51 between the rails 54 and also with the fountain roll 58 of an oscillating ink fountain 59 disposed between said bed and inking plate. The carriage blocks 55 are reciprocated in unison by similar mechanisms at either side of the press, which include bell-cranks 60 keyed to the opposite ends of a shaft 6| journaled in the side frames 35, 3!, and which further include rods 62 and links 63, the rods 52 connecting the bed with said bell cranks 60 and the links 63 connecting said bellcranks with said blocks 55. Due to the arrangement of the bell cranks 60, as shown, the connections between them and said links 63 are constantly disposed substantially in the reciprocal plane of the carriage blocks 55, the result being that forces acting on the carriage blocks 55, through the links 63, are at all times exerted in directions substantially parallel with the rails 54 upon which said .blocks ride. This feature, is shown in Figs. 3 and 5, where the blocks occupy extreme positions and the links 63, in both positions of said blocks, occupy positions substantially paralleling the rails 54. With said links 63 thus disposed at all times with respect to the rails 54, it will be readily understood that lateral thrusts of the carriage blocks 55 against their rails are practically eliminated and that said blocks will move freely up and down on said rails without binding.

Counterbalancing the weight of the roller carriage blocks 55 and the rollers 56 carried thereby, is a compression spring 64 (Fig. 6). This spring encircles a rod 65 pivotally connected at its forward end to a cam 66 on the shaft 6! and slidably mounted at its rear portion in a bracket 61 secured to a cross stay 32 between the side frames The forward end of the spring 64 abuts against a collar 68 on rod 65 while the rear end of said spring abuts against the bracket 61. The cam 65 constitutes an arm for resisting, through spring 64, the rotation of shaft 6| in a direction to lower the carriage blocks 55, the strength of said spring being such as tosubstantially balance the carriage blocks 55 and the inking rollers carried thereby. In this construction, the carriage blocks 55 with their rollers 56 are easily moved up and down the rails 54 without strain or undue wear upon the parts.

Provision is made for throwing off the press or,

in other words, for shortening the normal forward throw of the bed 44 and thereby preventing the form in the bed from contacting with the platen 39 in its impression position. To this end, the back-shaft 45 is formed at its extremities with eccentric studs (dotted lines, Figs. 14-17) to which the rear ends of the side arms 55, 5! are pivotally connected. Secured to the back-shaft 49 for rocking the same, is an arm 86 (Figs. 3 and '7) having pivoted thereto a depending link Bl. At its lower end, this link 81 is connected through a pivot pin 88 with the forward end of an arm 89 (Figs. 2 and 3), the rearward end of which is pivoted to an upright bracket 96 secured to a foot of the side frame 3!. Said arm 89 is normally held against pivoting on the bracket and in position, wherein the axis of the pivot pin 86 coincides with the axis of the bed shaft 41. In this relation of said parts, the back shaft 49 is held against rotation as the bed 45 rocks back and forth and in such angular position in its bearings that the eccentric studs 85 are properly disposed to cause the form in the bed to contact with the platen 39 in the impression positions of bed and platen. The means for holding the arm 85 in its normal position (Fig. 2) consists of a suspension link 9!, jointed medially, as at 92.

This suspension link 9| is pivoted at its lower end to the arm 89 by means of the pivot pinv 68 through which said arm is connected to the depending link 81, the upper end of said suspension link 9| being pivoted to the tip of the upright bracket 90. Through said suspension link 9!, the forward end of the pivoted arm 85 is elevated to thrust the link 8'! upwardly and thus rock the arm 86 and turn the back shaft 45 sufficiently to prevent the bed from closing against the platen.

Operating to break the jointed suspension link 9 I,

andthus swing the arm 89, is a hand lever 93 pivoted between its extremities to a bracket 94 on the side frame 3! the lower end of said lever 53 being connected by means of a tie bar 85 with an arm 96 issuing from the upper member of the jointed link 9|. Upon swinging the upper end of the hand lever 93 rearwardly, the link 9! is broken at the joint 92 therein and the train of parts, consisting of the pivoted arm 89, depending link 53'! and rock 'except through a pull on the tie-bar $55, the

pivoted arm 89 being thus rigidly held against pivotal movement and the back shaft 49, in turn, firmly held against rotation in the rocking bed. The hand lever 93 is not only operated by hand, but is also operated automatically, as will later appear, for the purpose of throwing ofi the impression when the automatic sheet feeding mechanism, hereinafter described, fails to grasp a sheet and for the purpose of throwing on the impression when said feeding mechanism again takes a sheet.

The guide rails 54 for the ink roller carriage blocks 55 consist of bars suitably secured flatwise to the sides of the bed 44, each of the bars being beveled at both edges to form opposed V-shaped ways 98.

The carriage blocks 55, constituting a roller carriage, ride up and down on said guide rails 54' and in their reciprocating cycle bring the composition form rollers 56 into contact with a form in the bed 44 and with the fountain roll 58 of the oscillating inking fountain 59 carried by said rails 54 above the bed, and also bring said composition rollers 56 into contact with the inking plate 51 carried by said rails 54 above said inking fountain 55. On: the upward stroke of the carriage blocks 55 the ink rollers 56 engage the then projected fountain roll 58. In the final stage of said upward stroke of said carriage blocks, and also during the initial stage of their downward stroke. the ink rollers 56 contact with the inking plate 51 effecting a distribution of ink thereon and on said rollers 56. As the carriage blocks 55 descend and pass the form in the bed 44, the ink rollers 56 contact with and ink the form.

The carriage blocks 55 are elongated structures, each including a web-like body and front and rear bearings 9 (Fig. 11) which correspond with and ride the opposed V-shaped ways 98 of its respective carriage rail 54. Each carriage block 55 further includes a forwardly projecting frame plate I00, the two frame plates of the two blocks serving to support the form rollers 56. Hinged frames IOI (Fig. 9), one for each frame plate I60, support ink distributing rollers I02, which ride the form rollers 56. Each hinged frame is of bar-like construction pivoted at one extremity to the lower end of its respective frame plate I00 and provided at its other extremity with a locking head I04. Normally, these hinged frames IOI are closed upon the frame plates I00 of the carriage blocks 55, the head I04 of each hinged frame being releasably engaged by a latch I05 pivoted at the upper end of its respective frame plate I00.

The ink distributing rollers I02 (Figs. '7, 9 and 10) are of the vibrating type. the threaded ends of the shafts I06 thereof being threaded in one of the hinged frames I0! in bosses I01, while the opposite ends of said shafts are journaled in the other hinged frame IOI in bosses I08. Said shafts I06, at said latter ends thereof, are provided with gears I09, meshing with idler gears I I0 mounted on the frame plate I00 of the corresponding carriage block 55, said idler gears IIO being also in mesh with a rack bar III secured to the rail 54 upon which said block rides. The bosses I01, I08 on the hinged frames IOI enter guiding recesses I I2 (Figs. 9 and 11) in the frame plates I60 when said frames IOI are closed upon said frame plates with the result that the vibrating distributor rollers I02 always have the same relative disposition in the roller carriage when the hinged frames IOI are latched in place. The four composition form rollers 56 are arranged in pairs, the two rollers of one pair being adapted to be engaged by one of the vibrating distributor rollers I02 and the two rollers of the other pair being adapted to be engaged by the other vibrating distributor roller. All of said form rollers 56 are adapted to engage the inking plate 5'! and the form in the bed 44, said rollers 56 being adjustably and removably mounted on the frame plates I00 of the carriage blocks 55, the mode of mounting'being the same in each instance. Referring to Figs. 9 and 11 and to the companion views on the same sheet, it will be seen that each inking roller 56 has roller bearings Il3 secured to the opposite ends of its shaft IE4. These roller bearings I I3 are removably seated in cup bearings H5, each of which comprises a disk-like head H6 and a flange II'l, semi-circul'ar in form, issuing from said head. On this head H6, at the side thereof opposite the flange H1, is a curved rib H0, which fits in a curved groove II9 (Fig. 1-1) in one of the frame plates I00, said rib H8 and head II6 being formed with a threaded bore I20 to receive the threaded end of a fastening bolt I2I (Fig. 12) passing through a curved slot I22 formed in the frame plate I00 and communicating with the curved groove H9 in which the rib II8 is disposed. With the cupbearing I I 5 secured in place by its fastening bolt I'2I, the lower portion of the flange I I7 slightly underreaches the roller bearing I I3 placed therein, said flange in conjunction with a keeper I23 serving firmly to hold the roller bearing I I3 in place. Said keeper I23 consists of a pin with a right angular bend therein, one reach of the pin constituting a stem I 24 which is slidably and rotatably mounted in a bore I25 inthe head II6, the other reach of said pin constituting a finger I26 adapted to overreach the roller bearing I I3 in cup bearing II5. A spring I21 acting on the stem I24 of the keeper causes the finger I26 to engage said roller bearing II3 yieldingly, said spring being interposed between the head IIB of the cup bearing and a pintle I28 passing through said stem I24 of the keeper I23. The head I I6 is notched as at I29 (Fig. 13) to receive the finger I26 and thus allow it to engage and hold the roller bearing H3 seated in the cup bearing II5. At one side of this recess I29, the head II 6 is machined to form a cam surface I30 upon which the finger I26 rides, when it is turned (Figs. 9 and, 11) to free the roller bearing II3.

In thus turning said finger I26, the cooperation thereof with said cam surface I30 results in readily sliding the steam I24 in'the head II6 against the action of the keeper spring.l2'|.

The curved grooves H9 for the companion cup bearings II5 of each pair of inking form rollers 56 are oppositely disposed, as shown in Fig. 11 and provide for adjustments of said cupbearings, whereby the form rollers 56 carried thereby may be shifted toward or from their respective ink distributing roller I02 and the plane common to the inking plate 51 and the form. These adjustments are readily made to compensate for expansion and contraction in the form rollers 56, the ease of adjustment being facilitated due tothe form and arrangement of the grooves I I9, whereby the movement of an inking roller 56 toward its respective distributor roller I02 is effected simultaneously with a corresponding appropriate movement of such inking roller 56 toward the plane of the inking plate 51.

In addition to the vibrating distributor rollers I62, the hinged frames IOI carry idler distributing rollers I3I, I32 (Figs. 9 and 10), which ride certain of the form rollers 56. Roller I3I is journaled at its ends in pins I33 slidably mounted in bearings I34 secured to the hinged frame bars I0 I. These bearings are so located on said frame bars IOI that the roller I3I lies between the lower roller of the upper pair of inking rollers 56 and the upper roller of the lower pair of inking rollers 56, when the hinged frame bars IOI are closed upon the frame plates I06. Said distributing roller I3I, in such position, contacts yieldingly with said inking rollers, due to the action of expansion springs I55 which encircle the pins I33 and react against the bearings I34. Distributing roller I32 is arranged to engage the uppermost inking roller 56 and is journaled at its ends in clips I36 pivoted to the hinged frame arms I6I on clamping screws I37, which are released to permit of the adjustment of said roller I I32 and thereafter tightened to secure it in adjusted position.

In providing the upper vibrating roller I02 for the two form rollers 56 of the upper pair thereof and the lower vibrating roller I92 for the two form V rollers 56 of the lower pair, and in further providing the rider roller I3I for the lower form roller 56 of the upper pair and for the upper form roller 56 of the lower pair, the ink on said rollers is effectively broken up, without interruption, through the entire train thereof.

In mounting the ink distributing rollers IIIZ, I3I and I32 on the hinged frame arms IIlI, said rollers are easily swung forwardly away from the form rollers 55 to facilitate the cleaning of all of said rollers. In further facilitating the cleansing of the form rollers 56, the inking plate 51 is adapted to be swung rearwardly from its normal position (Fig. 6), into a retracted position such as that shown in Fig. 9 and thus give access to said rollers 56 from the rear as well as from the front.

The oscillating ink fountain (Fig. 9), indicated in its entirety at 59, includes end frame members I 38 and the fountain feed roll 58 journaled at its ends in said end frame members. This ink fountain 59 further includes a back wall I39, a plate I40 secured along its upper edge to said wall I39, and thumb screws I4I threaded in said wall for holding the lower marginal portion of said plate I40 more or less closely positioned with respect to the fountain feed roll 58. The end frame members I38 are secured tobrackets I42 pivoted on studs I43 threaded in the guide rails 54.

A horizontally disposed U-shaped extension I44 (Fig. 4) is attached to the ink fountain 59, one branch of said extension being suitably secured to an end wall I38 of said fountain. A leg I45 secured to said extension and extending rearwardly therefrom and thence downwardly is supplied at its lower extremity with a roller I45 which bears upon a track I4'I (Fig. 3). This track MI is pivoted at its forward end to the side arm 59 at the left side of the unit, said track at the rear end thereof being beveled as at I48, the beveled portion resting upon a pin I49 mounted on a cap piece I50 secured to the end of the back shaft 49. Through said side arm 50 and track I47, the inking fountain 59 is oscillated and normally caused to swing forward and backward, whereby the fountain feed roll 58 occupies position for inking the form rollers 56 during the upward movement of said rollers, but is otherwise disposed in a retracted position to avoid contact with said inking rollers 56. This oscillation of the ink fountain, through leg I45, is effected by the angular movement of the side arm 55 combined. with the angular movement of the track I4! relative to said side arm. Referring to Figs. 14 to 17 inclusive, which illustrate diagrammatically various relative positions assumed by the ink fountain 59, form rollers 56, side arm 59 and track I41, it will be observed that, as the form rollers 56 ascend toward the fountain feed roll 58, the side arm 5|] elevates the forward end of the track I4? and at the same time causes the elevation of the rear end of said track by sliding the beveled portion I48 thereof upon the bearing pin I49. By reason of this compound movement the track I4! is elevated sufficiently to cause the rocking of the ink fountain 59 into a forwardly projected position in which the fountain feed roll 58 engages the ascending form rollers 55. As said form rollers 56 descend, the change in angularity of the side arm 50 lowers the forward end of track I41 and simultaneously slides the beveled rear portion I48 thereof forwardly upon the bearing pin I49, such movement of said parts resulting in the lowering of the track I41 sufficiently to allow the ink fountain 59 to swing backward and thereby retract the fountain feed roll 58 in time to avoid engagement with the descending form rollers 56.

The normal oscillation of the ink fountain 59, above described, is interrupted when the throwoff mechanism of the unit is operated to shorten the forward throw of the bed and prevent the taking of an impression. In this connection and having reference to Figs. 3 and 15, it will be seen that the ink fountain 59 will be retracted upon a counter-clockwise movement of the back shaft 49 as a consequence of the upward throw-off thrust of the link 8]. Upon such rotation of the back shaft 49 the cap I59, which is secured thereto, turns with the said shaft and as a result moves the bearing pin I49 rearwardly beneath the beveled portion I48 of the track I41, thus lowering said track. The fountain 59, supported by the track, is thereby caused to be retracted, if not then so disposed, and to remain in retracted position, wherein the fountain feed roll 58 clears the form rollers 56.

The fountain feed roll 58 is rotated step by step to present freshly inked portions thereof to the form rollers 56 by mechanism, best seen in Figs. 2, 4 and 7, which includes a drive shaft I5I journaled in the branches of the U-shaped fountain extension I44. Secured to this drive shaft I5I is a gear I52 which meshes with a gear I53 on the fountain roller shaft I54. A ratchet wheel I55 also secured to said drive shaft I5I is turned by means of a pawl I55 carried on one arm of a bell crank I51 rockably mounted on said driving shaft I5I, the other end of said bell crank being connected through a link I58 with the side arm 59 at the left side of the machine, said link serving to impart a rocking movement to said bell crank I51. To provide for the turning of the fountain drive shaft I54 more or less each time the bell crank I5! is actuated, we employ a shroud I59 consisting of a disk rockably mounted on the drive shaft I5I, said disk having an offset cam surface I56 with which the pawl I55 may be engaged to prevent its engagement with the teeth of the ratchet I55 during a part of the rocking movement of the bell crank I51. This shroud I59 is adjustably held in various selected positions by means of a brace I5I which is pivotally secured at its lower end to the fountain extension I 44 and slotted at its upper portion to pivotally and slidably receive a clamping bolt I62 carried by an arm I63 projecting from the disk-like body of the shroud I59. With said shroud I59 positioned in selected angular relation on the shaft I5I and held in such position by the brace I6I, the extent of rotation of the fountain roll 58 to accord with any particular requirement is secured. A hand wheel I64 on shaft I5! is supplied for manually turning the. fountain roll 58 at such time as may be desired. v

The inking plate 51, which is rectangular in form, is mounted on a back-frame I65 of similar form, said back-frame presenting a supporting surface against which the back of said plate 5! bears (Fig. 9). This back-frame I55 is hingedly supported upon the rails 54, ears I56, provided at the lower corners of said back-frame, being pivoted on studs I51 threaded into said rails. A prop I58, depending from a shaft I59 journaled in ears on the back-frame I65, has a footing, norframe mally, on the-upper end of a brace I'IIJ (Figs. 3 and 9) issuing upwardly and rearwardly from the bed 44. Through the brace I'Iil, prop I58 and back-frame I65, the inking plate 51 is releasably held in operative position, the back-frame I65 occupying position with the upper margin thereof abutting front stops iiI secured to the rails 54.

The inking plate 57 oscillates on the backplate I65, the former having a central boss I'I2 (Fig 9) journaled in a central bearing I13 formed on the latter. Mechanism, now to be described, automatically swings the inking plate 51 angularly from one position to another and back again, whereby, upon one cycle of the form rollers 56, said inking plate will occupy one position angularly of said form rollers and, upon the next cycle, will occupy another position angularly of sad rollers, the shifting of the inking plate back and forth from one position to the other causing the ink on the rollers 53 and plate 51 to be effectively broken up and distributed thereon. Disposed between the rail 54 and the adjacent ear I65 of the back-frame I65, at the right side of the press, is a cam I'M (Figs. 18, 19 and 20) and a ratchet wheel I75 axially interconnected therewith, said cam and ratchet wheel being mounted to turn on the stud I51 supporting said ear I35. Cooperating with the ratchet wheel I15 is a pawl lit, the same being pivoted on the adjacent end I38 of the oscillating ink fountain 59. The cam I14 has alternating high and low portions, the teeth in the ratchet wheel I15 being the same in number as said portions of said cam. A thrust-rod I'll, guided in a bracket I78 issuing from the back-plate H53, is connected at its upper end through a lug I79 with the upper right hand corner of the inking plate the lower end of said thrust rod i'Il being equipped with a cam follower I85 which rides the cam I74. As previously explained, the oscillating ink fountain 59 is swung forward on each cycle of the form rollers 55 to bring the fountain roll 58 in contact with said form rollers 55 as the latter, in their ascent, approach the inking plate 51. Such forward swing of the inking fountain, causes the pawl I15 to turn the ratchet Wheel I15 and also the cam :74 with which said ratchet wheel is connected. Upon each step of the cam I14, the inking plate 5'! is swung into one or the other of the two positions indicated in Fig. 18, said plate being caused to take the position shown in solid lines, when a high portion of the cam I14 comes into play and being caused to take the position shown in dotted lines when a low portion of said cam comes into play. The shifting of the inking plate 57 into said solid line position is accomplished by the coaction of a high portion of the cam I14 and the thrust-rod II'I, while the shifting of said plate, into said dotted line position, is accomplished by means of a spring I8i stretched between the lug I19 on said inking plate 5'! and the guide bracket I18 on the backplate I65, such spring serving yieldingly to keep the cam follower I80 in contact with the cam I14.

Mounted on the shaft 6| at the right side of the press is a cam assembly (Figs. 1 and 8) consisting of a sleeve I93 journaled on said shaft and of cams 232 and 203 keyed to said sleeve. This cam assembly is driven from the gear cam wheel 35 through a reduction idler consisting of a large gear 264 and a smaller gear 295, the former being in mesh with the teeth of the gear cam wheel 36 and the latter in mesh with a gear 206 keyed to said sleeve I98.

Power is derived through said cam assembly for driving the moving parts of a sheet feeding mechanism B generally of the construction disclosed in lettters patent of the United States Nos. 1,472,656 and 1,592,635 which matured from applications filed by us, the same being more especially like that of Patent 1,592,635 in the detailed construction of the head member. This feeding mechanism includes an oscillating feed arm 23I having suction grips 232 thereon which take sheets to the platen 39 from a suitably supported stock pile and carry said sheets, edge foremost, depositing them in desired position on the platen.

Further included in said feeding mechanism B is a tubular standard 233 (Fig. 1) mounted at the right side of the press in bearings 234 formed integrally with a gear guard I90. Supported at the upper end of the standard 233 and extending inwardly over the bed 44 is a horizontally, disposed head bearing 235 in which an eccentric bushing 235 is rockably mounted, the same being provided at its outer end with a rocker-disk 23?. Mounted in said bushing 236 is a rock shaft 238 which at its inner end carries the feed arm 23I and to the outer end of which is secured a rocker arm 240. A rod 24I connects the rocker-disk 231 with the free end of a lever 242, while asimilar rod 243 connects the rocker-arm 243 with the free end of a lever 2I9. These levers 2I9 and 242 are pivotally mounted on a shaft 22I supported in bosses 222 on the side frames 33, 3I. Said levers 2 I9 and 242 are operated, respectively, by the cams 253 and 202 of the cam assembly, each lever having a roller, as at 244, which rides its respective cam. Through cam 253, lever 2I9, rod 243, and rocker-arm 243, the feed arm 23l is oscillated in accord with the rocking movement of the platen, whereby a sheet from a stock pile is fed to the platen each time it opens, the suction grips 232 and feed arm 23I safely clearing the platen 39 in the co-ordinated cycles of movement of feed arm and platen. Through cam 232, lever 242, rod 24I, and eccentric bushing 235, the rock-shaft 238 is shifted to increase and diminish the reach of the feed arm 23I for facilitating the taking of sheets from the stock pile and placing. of sheets on the platen 39 and the clearing of the platen and suction grips 232 during the oscillating movements of said feed arm 23! and platen 39. Suction is created in the grips 232, by means of a suction pump 22? of conventional construction, the piston rod 223 of the pump being connected with a crank 229 on the fly wheel shaft 33 and the body of said pump being pivotally supported on a beam 235 carried at its ends by the side frames 35, 3|. Said pump is connected at its suction side with said grips 232 through a tube 245, pipe 243, the tubular standard 233, the hollow feed arm 23I, a tube 241 connecting the hollow standard 233 with the hollow feed arm 23I, and tubes 243 leading from the grips 232 to said feed arm 235, said pipe 243 being fitted with a valve 249 (Fig. 4), suitably operated manually to cut off suction in the line to said suction grips 232. The tube 247 takes off from the hollow standard 233 above a self-seating ball valve (not shown) for obstructing and clearing the passageway in said standard and beneath a self-seating ball valve 253 (Fig. 2) for admitting and barring the entrance of air to said passageway. These ball valves are unseated by a lever 254 (Fig. 1), which is automatically actuated to effect suction at the grips 232 in the sheet receiving position thereof and to destroy such suction in the selected sheet depositing position of said grips. No

claim being made herein to the said valves or their actuating mechanism per se, we have not deemed it necessary to illustrate and describe the same in detail, particularly in view of the disclosure in Patent No. 1,592,635.

As the bed 44 assumes printing position (Fig. 3), its superstructure, including the rails 54 and ink plate 51, swings forward, passing closely beneath the head bearing 235 of the feeding mechanism B into a position over the center of the machine, the feed arm 23! being formed with a bend therein to clear said superstructure. This relation of said parts contributes to the compactness and to the balancing of the press structure.

Means are provided for automatically throwing off the press and thus preventing the taking of an impression when the suction grips 232 fail to grasp a sheet at the stock pile, such means including a piston 255 (Fig. 8) in the standard 233 and a train of connections, now to be described, which act upon the throw-off lever 93. Pivoted between its ends on a bracket 255 issuing from the side frame 36, is a lever 251 having a weight 258 attached to its forward end, said weighted end of said lever being connected through a connecting rod 259 with the piston 255 and normally held against being swung downward by the sustaining action of said piston. The rear end of the lever 251 is connected through a link 260 with an arm 25! on a rock-shaft 262 mounted transversely of the legs it of the bed 4 3 in bearings secured to said legs, the connection between the link 256 and lever 25! being coincident with the axis of the bed shaft 41 in the normal position of said lever 251. On the rock-shaft 262 is a second arm 263 (Fig. 3) having a pin 254 at the end thereof normally freely movable back and forth in a slot 255 out in a link 265 which forms a connecting element between the bed 44 and the throw-oif lever This link 266 has a second slot 261 therein and is notched upwardly as at 258 (Fig. 2), between the ends thereof to receive a pin 259 (Fig. 3) in the throw-off lever 93, said pin serving to support the forward end of said link 253 and, when normally engaged in said notch 263, serving to pivotally connect said link 256 with said lever 93. Supporting the rear end of the link 255 is a flanged stud 210 which is secured to a leg 46 of the bed 44 and which normally slides back and forth beneath said link 256. When suction in the hollow standard 233 is impaired, as by the failure of the suction grips 232 to grasp a sheet at the stock pile or, as by the manual closing of the valve 249 in pipe 246, the piston 255 in standard 233 fails to support the weighted end of the lever 251, with the result that said lever 251 acts to turn the rock-shaft 262 and swing the arm 263 so that the pin 26 3 on said arm enters a notch 21! cut downwardly in link 266 at the rear end of the slot 205 along which said pin normally freely passes. With said pin 254 engaged in said notch Hi, the link 255 is moved with the bed M and, in turn, imparts such movement to the throw-off lever 93 through which the previously described throw-off mechanism is operated to turn the back shaft 49 and prevent the bed from fully completing its impression throw. Thus, upon each impression throw of the bed 54 and until suction is resumed in the standard 233, the throw-off lever $3 is automatically shifted to prevent the taking of an impression. Carried by the throw-01f lever 83 (Fig. 2) is a trip rod 212, the same being connected at its upper end with a hand piece 213. The lower end of said rod 212 is bent inward providing a finger 214 which extends through a slot 215 in said lever 33 and beneath the link 256. Upon operating the hand piece 213 and thereby lifting the trip rod 212, said finger 214 engages and lifts the link 256 so that the pin 259 in thelever 93 occupies position in the slot 251 in said link rather than in the notch 263 branching upwardly from said slot. With the link 266 thus elevated by the trip rod 212, the connection between said link and the throw-off lever 93 becomes a sliding connection rather than a pivotal connection with the result that the link 265 reciprocates independently of the hand lever 93. The hand lever 93 being thus free from the link 266, it may be operated at will to throw on or throw off the impression.

The cam rollers 244 of the cam levers 219 and. 242 are maintained in contact with the cams 202 and 20! by means of expansion springs 302 (Fig. 8). Each of said cam levers is integrally formed with a depending arm 3.03 having a socket therein in which one end of a rod 302 is received, the other end of said rod being slidably supported in a 111g 305 issuing from the bracket 256. Encircling each of these rods 305 is one of said. expansion springs 302, each spring abutting; against the lug 385 at one end and at its other end against a washer 306 fixed to its respective rod 365. Thus, the springs 302, operating through the arms 303 and the cam levers 2l9 and 242, yieldingly hold said cam rollers 22 in contact with said cams 202 and 203.

Changes in the specific form of our invention, as herein disclosed, may be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of our invention.

Having described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

l. Inking mechanism for a printing press having a pivotally supported bed, a platen, a side rod connected with the bed for rocking it toward and from the platen, an eccentric embodied in the connection between said rod and bed, grips for feeding sheets to the platen to be printed, and means actuated through the grips, in the absence of a sheet in their grasp, for turning the, eccentric out of impression effecting position and, in the presence of a sheet, for turning said eccentric into impression eflecting position, said inking. mechanism comprising form rollers, an ink plate, and an oscillatory ink fountain having a feed roll, the fountain being interposed between the. ink plate and the position on the bed occupied by a form, means for moving the form rollers. back and forth over the ink plate and the form.

on the bed, and means for advancing the inkfountain to locate the feed roll thereof in position to be engaged by the form rollers in their travel from the form to said plate and for retracting said fountain to Withdraw said feed roll into position clear of said form rollers on their return from said plate to said form, and means associated with said side rod and eccentric for rendering said fountain moving means inoperative to advance the fountain, when said eccentric is turned out of impression effecting position.

2. Inking mechanism for a printing press having a platen, a bed, a member connected with the bed, means including said member for relatively moving said bed and platen to bring them together into printing relation and to separate. the same, an eccentric embodied in the, connection between said member and bed, means, for

turning the eccentric out of and back into. impression effecting position, said inking mechanism comprising form rollers, an ink plate and a mov able ink fountain having a feed roll, the fountain being interposed between the ink plate and the position on the bed occupied by a form, means for moving the form rollers back and forth over the ink plate and the form on the bed, and means for advancing the ink fountain to locate the feed roll thereof in position to be engaged by the form rollers in their travel from the form to said plate and for retracting said fountain to withdraw said feed roll into position clear of said form rollers on their return from said plate to said form, and means operating, when the eccentric is turned out of impression effecting position, to render the fountain moving means inoperative to ad: Vance said fountain.

3. Inking mechanism for a printing press hav--- ing a bed, a platen, means for effecting a relative movement between said bed and platen to bring them together into printing relation and to separate the same, said inking mechanism comprising an ink plate having a mounting therefor supported on the bed, a roller carriage reciprocably mounted on the bed, form rollers mount ed on the carriage, means for reciprocating the carriage to engage the form rollers with a form on the bed and with said plate, the ink plate being movable on its mounting out of the inking plane to lend access to said plate and also to the form rollers at the sides thereof normally in engagement with said plate.

4. Inking mechanism for a printing press having a bed and a platen, means for effecting a relative movement of bed and platen to bring them together into printing relation and to sep arate the same, said mechanism comprising an ink plate hingedly mounted on the bed, a roller carriage reciprocably mounted on said bed, form rollers mounted on the carriage, means for reciprocating the carriage to engage the form rollers with a form on the bed and with said plate, a frame hingedly mounted on the roller carriage,

ink distributing rollers mounted on the frame and normally riding said form rollers, said frame andink plate being oppositely swingable on their respective mountings to afford access to the ink distributing rollers on the frame and to the inking plate and to both sides of the form rollers.

5. Inking mechanism for a printing press having a bed and platen, means for effecting a relative movement between bed and platen to bring them together into printing relation and to separate the same, said inking mechanism comprising rails mounted on said bed, a roller carriage reciprocably mounted on rails, an ink plate mounted on the rails, form rollers mounted on the carriage, means for reciprocating the carriage on its rails alternately to engage the form rollers with a form on the bed and with said plate, a frame mounted on the roller carriage, ink distributing rollers for the form rollers mounted on said frame, the frame and ink plate being disposed at opposite sides of the form rollers and each thereof movable on their respective mountings away from said form rollers to aiford access to both sides of said rollers when the carriage is positioned at the locality of said plate.

6. Inking mechanism for a printing press having a bed, a platen, means for relatively moving bed and platen to bring them together into printing relation and to separate them to afford access thereto, said inking mechanism comprising carriage blocks reciprocably mounted on the bed,

form rollers carried by-the carriage blocks, an ink plate on the bed, means for reciprocating. the carriage blocks to move the form rollers back and forth over said ink plate and over a form on the bed, ink distributing rollers for the form rollers, said distributing rollers being carried by said carriage blocks, mountings on each carriage block, one mounting for an end of each form roller, each mounting being individually slidably guided for adjustment on its respective carriage block, whereby its respective roller may be shifted toward or from the plane of the inking plate and, upon such adjustment thereof, will be simultaneously shifted toward or from the periphery of its respective ink distributing roller.

' 7. Inking mechanism for a printing press having a bed, a platen, means for relatively moving bed and platen to bring them together into printing relation and to separate the same, said inking mechanism comprising carriage blocks reciprocably mounted on the bed, a pair of form rollers carried by the carriage blocks, an ink plate on the bed, means for reciprocating the carriage blocks to move the form rollers back and forth over said ink plate and over a form on the bed, an ink distributing roller common to said pair of form rollers, mountings on each carriage block, one mountingfor an end of each form roller, the mountings on each block being oppositely guided for adjustment to shift their respective rollers toward or from the plane of the inking plate and, concurrently, toward or from the periphery of their common ink distributing roller.

8. Inking mechanism for a printing press having a bed, a platen, means for eifecting a relative movement between bed and platen to bring them together into printing relation and to separate the same, said inking mechanism comprising an ink plate having a mounting supported on the bed, said plate being adapted to oscillate on said mounting in its own plane, a roller carriage reciprocably mounted on the bed, form rollers mounted on the carriage, means for reciprocating the carriage to engage the form rollers with a form on the bed and with the ink plate, and means for swinging the ink plate from one of its oscillatory positions. to another during. one cycle of the form rollers and for swinging said plate back to starting position during the following cycle of said form rollers, whereby the plate is differently angularly disposed with respect to the formrollers as they travel over said plate at different times, said mounting for said plate being hingedly supported by the bed and swingable to carry the plate out of the inking plane to give free access to said plate and to said form rollers, said plate oscillating means including a rotating member coaxially disposed with respect to the hinging axis of the mounting for said plate.

9. Inking mechanism for a printing press having a bed, a platen, means for relatively moving said bed and platen in a normal manner bringing the same together into impression effecting relationship upon each cycle of bed and platen and further having throw-off mechanism for affecting the operation of said means to prevent the relative positioning of bed and platen for an impression, said inking mechanism comprising an ink plate mounted on the bed to move in its own plane, form rollers, means for reciprocating said rollers to engage them with a form on the bed and with the ink plate, an ink roll between the plate and form, an oscillatory mounting for the ink roll, means for oscillating different relations with respect to said form rollers, as said rollers travel over said plate at different times, and means associated with the pressthrow-01f mechanism for rendering said mounting oscillating means inoperative to advance the fountain when impression effecting relationship between bed and platen is prevented, whereby, in such case, inking of the form rollers and shifting of the ink plate are simultaneously avoided.

10. Inking construction for a printing press having an impression throw-oif'mechanism, said inking construction including form rollers, an ink plate adapted to be contacted by said form rollers and mounted for oscillating movement in its own plane, an ink roll movable into and out of contact with said form rollers, means operated normally to move the ink roll through one cycle and to swing the ink plate in one direction upon each cycle of the press, said means being rendered inoperative by the throw-off mechanism of the press to prevent the inking of. the form. rollers and the shifting of said plate upon each press cycle in which the impression is thrown ofi.

11. Inking mechanism for a printing press,

. said mechanism comprising blocks mounted on thepress, a form roller, an ink distributing roller for said form roller, mountings, one on each block, each mounting supporting one end of the form roller, said mountings being movably guided t for adjustment whereby the form roller may be moved toward or from the distributing roller and simultaneously toward or from the inking plane of the press.

12. Inking mechanism for a printing press,

said mechanism comprising blocks mounted on the press, a form. roller, an ink distributing roller for saidv form roller, cup bearings, one oneach block, each bearing removably receiving one end of the form roller, keepers releasably securing the form roller in said cup bearings, said bearings being movably guided for adjustment on said blocks, whereby the form roller may be moved toward or from the distributing roller and simultaneously toward or from the inking plane of the press.

13. Inking' mechanism for a printing press having a platen, a bed, means for relatively moving said bed and platen toward and away from each other in a normal manner bringing the same together in impression effecting relationship upon each cycle of bed and platen and further having throw-off mechanism for affecting the operation of said means to prevent the relative positioning of bed and platen for an impression, said inking mechanism comprising form rollers, a movable ink fountain having a feed roll, means operating normally to move said fountain forth and back from a retracted noninking position into an advanced inking position, wherein the fountain feed roll is positioned to be contacted by the form rollers, and means operated, when an impression between bed and platen is prevented to prevent the fountain moving means from advancing the fountain into said inking position.

14. Inking mechanism for a printing press having a platen, a bed, means for relatively moving bed and platen toward and away from each other in a normal manner bringing the same together in impression effecting relationship upon each cycle of bed and platen and further having throw-off mechanism for affecting the operation of said means to prevent the relative positioning of bed and platen for an impression, said inking mechanism comprising form rollers, a reversely movable inking roller normally advanced and retracted intermittently to contact and supply said form rollers with ink, and means operating, when an impression between bed and platen is prevented, to prevent the advancement of said inking roller and the supplying of ink thereby to said form rollers.

ABEL KLUGE. ENEVAL KLUGE. 

